Heel for boots and shoes



Sept. 16. 1924. 1,508,504

J. DE 5. BROWN HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed July 28, 1922 V I NV ENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

. pings to Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

JAMES DE SELDING BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Application filed- July 28,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES DE SELDING BROWN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Heels for Boots and Shoes, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to heels of the composition or wood type, and theobject of the mvention is to provide an economically manufactured heelwhich shall be light, strong and tough and impervious to water, andwhich, with a top-lift therefor, is adapted to receive and hold asurface coating which shall be hard and wear-resisting and impart thedesired color and finish.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andtreatment by which the above objects are attained, tobe hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show aheel constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved heel, and Figure 2 is avertical longitudinal section, taken on the centreline of such heel.

The preferred heel block is formed by mixing hardwood sawdust with gluesize or like pasty cement or sufficient tenacity to permit theplastiomass to be shaped in a suitable mold under pressure and tomaintain its shape without checks or pits when removed therefrom. Fibrewhich may be leather, cotton, linen, shoddy or the like may be added tothe mass to strengthen such thin overhanging parts as the shank breast 5and seat-edges 6 of the heel.

When the block thus formed is dry it is soaked in nitrocellulose insolution which penetrates the pores and interstices and when the solventof the nitrocellulose has evaporated the block is found to be strong andtough, well adapted to receive and hold e nails of the heel-seat, andpractically homogeneous throughout and waterproof.

Any slight surface roughnesses may be smoothed y sandpapering and theblock is then ready to reoeive'its coatin plied by dipping innitrocelluI mg. no such coat will suflice but it is preferable to givethe block two or more dipinsure a smooth exterior surface, one of whichmay be the color coat.

ose and drywhich is ap- 1922. Serial No. 578,102.

The desired coloris made by adding. stains or pigments to thenitrocellulose bath. As the addition of coloring matter to thenitrocellulose-solution tends to lessen the hard ness and lustre of thefinishedsurface, it is preferable after applying the color coat to dipagain in the first or another uncolored or transparent nitrocellulosebath to insure the desired glassy highly lustrous surface having thedesired hardness, and capable of withstanding the friction and scratchesof ordinary wear without affecting the polish.

The top-lift 7 is preferably of felt, or analogous matted fibre, ofabout three sixteenths of an inch in thickness, saturated withnitrocellulose in which it may be clipped in sheets and dried, and whichmay be of leather color, subsequently cut by dies to the shapes andsizes required. The lift may be nailed to the block before the latterreceives its color coat and the protective and finish coat, or may beapplied later and trimmed, colored and burnished in place.

Instead of the top-lift of felt, treated as above set forth, a top-liftof leather, trimmed, colored and burnished in the usual manner may beemployed, but the heel produced as first described is preferred becauseof its lightness, strength and toughness, the wearing qualities of itshard surface, and its attractive appearance.

In th blocks may be treated simultaneouslythus reducing the labor costand permitting the heels to be manufactured at a minimum expense.

I claim 1 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a heel comprising amolded block composed of sawdust and a soluble binder, and sat uratedwith nitrocellulose.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a heel comprising a moldedblock composed of sawdust and a soluble binder, and saturated withnitrocellulose, and a finishing coating thereon.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a molded heel formed ofsawdust and a soluble binder, and an impregnating hardening andsolidifying agent.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I aflix mysignature.

JAMES DE SELDINGBROWN.

e dipping operations a number of I

